---
title: "Linked providers"
description: "Understanding linked vs connected providers in Keep"
---

# Linked providers

In Keep, providers can be either "connected" or "linked." Understanding the difference is important for proper alert routing and management.

<Frame>
  <img src="/images/linked-providers.png" />
</Frame>

## Connected vs linked providers

- **Connected Providers**: These are providers that have been explicitly configured in Keep through the UI or API. They have full provider configuration and authentication details.

- **Linked Providers**: These are providers that send alerts to Keep without being explicitly connected. They appear automatically when Keep receives alerts from them through webhooks or push mechanisms.

## How linking works

When Keep receives alerts from an unconnected provider (like Prometheus pushing alerts), it automatically creates a "linked" provider entry. This allows you to:

- Track which systems are sending alerts
- See when Keep last received an alert
- Apply deduplication rules specific to that provider

## Attaching alerts to connected providers

If you have a connected provider and want to associate incoming alerts with it instead of creating a linked provider, add the `provider_id` query parameter to the webhook URL.

For example, with Prometheus AlertManager:

```yaml
alertmanager:
  config:
    receivers:
      - name: "keep"
        webhook_configs:
          - url: "https://api.keephq.dev/alerts/event/prometheus?provider_id=your_provider_id"
```

Or with other webhook-based integrations:

```bash
# Grafana webhook
https://api.keephq.dev/alerts/event/grafana?provider_id=grafana-prod

# Datadog webhook  
https://api.keephq.dev/alerts/event/datadog?provider_id=datadog-main

# Generic webhook
https://api.keephq.dev/alerts/event/webhook?provider_id=custom-webhook
```

## Best practices

1. **For Production Systems**: It's recommended to use connected providers when possible, as they provide:

   - Better authentication and security
   - Access to provider-specific features
   - Clearer audit trail

2. **For Testing/Development**: Linked providers can be useful for:

   - Quick prototyping
   - Testing alert flows
   - Temporary integrations

3. **Converting Linked to Connected**: If you regularly receive alerts from a linked provider, consider:
   - Setting up a proper provider connection
   - Using the `provider_id` parameter to attach alerts to the connected provider

## Limitations

Linked providers:

- Can't be used to pull alerts or data
- Don't have authentication details
- Can't be used for provider-specific actions
- May have limited deduplication capabilities

For full capabilities, consider converting linked providers to connected providers when they become part of your permanent alerting infrastructure.
